Fall
2002, Tuesday/Thursday Section
RBH 217, 1:15 pm and 242, 2:15-4:15pm
Email: hholt@bulldog.unca.edu
Co-requisites:
The lab is a co-requisite with Chemistry 234 lecture.
Required
Text:
James W. Zubrick, The Organic Chem Lab Survival Manual, 5th ed., Wiley Publishing
Required
Materials:
A laboratory notebook with permanent pages is required for this course.
You will need your notebook at the very first laboratory meeting and at
every subsequent meeting. You will
not be permitted to work in the laboratory without your notebook.
Safety glasses or goggles are required at all times when in the
laboratory. This rule applies even
if you are not specifically working at the time.
Objectives:
Upon completion of Chemistry 234,
students should
1. have gained a great deal
more self-confidence, resourcefulness, and laboratory
independence than experienced in Chemistry 111.
2. have become proficient in
performing fundamental organic chemistry laboratory
operations and techniques
3. have learned special
techniques for handling, manipulating, and observing reactions
with small quantities of organic chemicals.
4. be able to use
spectroscopic methods, IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR to
characterize and
identify organic compounds.
5. have
an understanding of research methods and becoming a better problem solver.
6. have learned functional
group chemistry involved in the qualitative analysis of organic
acids, amines, phenols, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones,
esters, halocarbons and
aromatic/aliphatic hydrocarbons.
7.
have gained an appreciation for and learned the chemical strategies
involved in designing and performing a simple, multiple-step synthesis.
Advanced
Preparation:
An important part of any laboratory experience is learning to maintain
very complete records of every experiment undertaken and every piece of datum
obtained. Far too often, careless
recording of data has resulted in mistakes, frustration, and lost time due to
needless repetition of experiments. In
cases where reports are required, proper collection and recording of data can
greatly facilitate writing reports. In
addition to learning good laboratory technique and the methods of carrying out
basic laboratory procedures in this course, you should also learn (1) how to
take data carefully; (2) how to record relevant observations; (3) how to use
your time effectively; (4) how to assess the efficiency of your experimental
method; and (5) how to plan for the isolation and purification of the substance
you prepare.
Because organic reactions are seldom quantitative in nature, special
problems result. Frequently, reagents have to be used in large excess in order
to increase the amount of product obtained.
In addition, some reagents and solvents are very expensive and
necessitate care in the amounts of side reactions, may form products in addition
to those that are desired. These
are called "side products". For these reasons, it is necessary to plan experimental
procedures carefully before beginning. A
great deal of time can be saved in the laboratory if a full understanding of the
experimental procedures and theory is achieved before the experiment is started.
Knowledge of the major reactions, the potential side reactions, the
mechanism, the stoichiometry, and the procedure before entering the laboratory
is essential. If this is
accomplished, experiments should proceed efficiently.
Equipment and reagents should be prepared in advance of the time at which
they are to be used. Reference
material should be at hand when needed. Finally,
take advantage of long reaction or reflux periods to perform other tasks, such
as doing shorter experiments, finishing previously uncompleted experiments,
setting up special apparatus, etc.
Laboratory textbooks are not
allowed at the lab bench. You may only use your laboratory notebook at the lab bench.
This requires that you write the experiment up in your notebook
thoroughly so that you go through the proper procedures during the experiment.
It should also be simplistic so that you are not wasting time constantly
reading your notebook.
Attendance:
Attendance of pre-lab lectures and laboratories is required.
You are expected to arrive on time and work until the lab is closed at
4:40 p.m. Lab
will be closed promptly at 4:40 p.m. You
must arrive prepared and plan your daily work and cleanup accordingly.
Evaluation:
Success as an organic chemist requires more than a solid foundation in
organic chemistry. It requires knowledge of general and specific laboratory
methods, the technique and preparation necessary to implement these methods, the
ability to communicate one's findings and questions both verbally and in
writing, and good fortune. All of
these are equally important and a deficiency in any one area will ultimately
result in failure.
Your performance and your mastering of the course objectives will be
evaluated on the basis of:
1. percent yield and product
purity of all synthesized products,
2.
performance on lab reports, obtaining and analyzing spectral data, and
maintaining the laboratory,
3. student interpretations
of results,
4. subjective evaluation of
students' laboratory technique (including attitude and
cooperation) by the instructor (laboratory
assistant's subjective evaluation will also be
factored into this part of the total evaluation),
5. correct identification of
all unknown organic compounds,
6. notebook maintenance.
Grading:
Your final grade in Chemistry 234 will be based upon the contribution of
points obtained from the laboratory portion of the course.
The maximum number of points that can be obtained is 250.
The
following list catalogs the various ways that points may be accumulated.
Point Opportunities
Project 1
Structural Data
TLC Report
Chromatography Results
Notebook
25
Project 2
Introduction
Product Results--yield, purity
Notebook
40
Project 3
Experimental
Product Results--yield, purity
Product Characterization
Notebook
50
Project 4
Report Sheets Identifying Unknowns
Experimental, Results and Discussion
Notebook
60
Instructor's Evaluation (subjective)
75
Total
250 points
The point distribution for each project is the amount
of points that each group member obtains. The subjective score may be distributed differently to each
student.
Cancellations
and Make-ups:
UNCA, as a State agency, is expected to provide its
service to the public according to its announced calendar and schedules.
Therefore, the presumption is that all classes will be taught during
inclement weather. On occasion severe weather condition may make it
dangerous or physically impossible for teachers and learners to get to campus.
The VCSA is charged with making the judgment about canceling classes
under these conditions.
Each individual student, in the event that classes are not
canceled, must assume the personal responsibility of deciding to go to class or
not when local road conditions appear too hazardous.
In such cases students should inform their instructors as soon as
practicable.
The notice that classes are to be canceled or delayed will be broadcast
on all local radio stations normally by 6 a.m.
The absence of any notice from UNCA signifies that classes will be taught
as usual. Cancellation notices about evening classes will be provided
to the radio stations as soon as practicable after 4 p.m.
The above guidelines have been taken directly from the latest edition of
the UNCA Faculty Handbook and serve as the general course policy concerning
inclement weather. Policies specific to the different types of assignments are
as follows:
1. The
instructor may schedule
additional class meetings with attendance required if weather conditions have
forced cancellation of the equivalent of one full week of class meetings.
2. If
school is called off because of the weather we will continue with the next lab
as scheduled at the next meeting time, and adjust the schedule accordingly.
Any missing labs will be adjusted in the grading.
3. If
the student misses a lab: The
Pre-lab for that lab must be turned in with the written excuse before the next
Lab. Labs may be made up only if
the missed lab is being taught at an alternate time.
If the lab is not made up, the student is subjected to a final
examination to replace the missed lab.
4. Written
notice prior to an absence for an authorized school function must be given to
the instructor for the student not to be penalized for that absence.
Honor System:
This course will be conducted utilizing the concepts
embodied in an Honor System. Your
awareness and acceptance of the Honor System will be indicated by your signature
in addition to your printed name on all work submitted to me for evaluation.
Work submitted to me without a signature will not be evaluated.
It will be recorded as a zero and returned so that you may sign and
resubmit it for evaluation. Appropriate
action will be taken against those found to be in violation of the Honor System
(see Academic Responsibilities under Student Responsibilities in the UNCA
Catalog).
**any
person with a disability must contact the disability services office **